Packard Children's invites public to May 12 autism event

Headlines on rising autism rates and news stories about the genetics of autism spectrum disorder make clear that autism is big news. But if your child is on the autism spectrum, news stories also raise questions: What does the latest autism research mean in real-world terms? Will new findings transform treatments for autism spectrum disorders? How will the science affect my child?

To help parents answer such questions, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital presents on May 12 its fifth annual Autism Spectrum Disorders Update, an event that gives members of the community a chance to learn about new autism research and therapies. This year’s theme, “Translating science into treatment,” explores how current research is transforming therapies for autism spectrum disorders.

The program features two plenary sessions, respectively, on the effect of the prenatal environment on autism risk and on improving teens’ adaptive skills at school. There will also be eight break-out sessions on genetic testing for autism; use of oxytocin as an autism treatment; understanding state education laws for special-needs children; feeding and digestive problems in autism spectrum disorders; decoding your child’s difficult behaviors; sleep problems and treatments; brain imaging for autism diagnosis; and current treatments for sensory, motor-coordination and speech problems in autism spectrum disorders.

Based on feedback from previous symposia, this year’s event focuses on “making the science more immediate and real, and showing parents that there are new developments that might help their children now and in the future,” said Carl Feinstein, MD, director of the Stanford Autism Center at Packard Children’s Hospital and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. “We want symposium participants to leave with information, but also with hope.”

Participants will be able to interact with experts from Packard Children’s, Stanford and New York University. The event runs from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with registration and breakfast at 7:30 a.m.) at the Arrillaga Alumni Center. Register online at www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/service/autism by following the link to the “5th Annual Autism Spectrum Disorder Update.” In addition to parents, the symposium welcomes teachers, pediatricians, caregivers and anyone with an interest in autism. The $100 registration fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch.